The Case of the Missing Cupcake

Cupcakes similar to the one I almost got to eat.

 *names and identifying descriptions have been omitted to protect those involved

Last Saturday a friend of mine sent me a text about a bake sale in which she was participating.  She said she had spent 2 hours baking pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting, and was trying not to be offended that everyone was purchasing the store-bought vanilla cupcakes with the bright orange, green, and purple frosting and topped with Frankenstein rings.  She also sent a photo of her cupcakes, and they looked delectable.  I told her so.  I responded that I would buy her cupcakes any day--no Frankenstein rings necessary.

At church on Sunday, my friend came to me and said conspiratorially, "I brought you a cupcake."  YES!  I thanked her profusely, and said I couldn't wait to try it.  She told me she had placed it in the back of the Primary storage closet in a very inconspicuous place.  She gave me very specific directions on where to find it.  I went to the closet shortly after she told me, and when I looked in the secret place for my prized cupcake, it was G-O-N-E.  Neither one of us could believe it!  No one else could have known it was there, as she had told me about the cupcake privately.

She and I shared the cupcake mystery with a couple of the other adults in Primary.  They were as puzzled and astonished as we were.  What could possibly have happened to it in the 10 minutes between the time she told me about it and when I went to get it?  We thought perhaps one of the children took it, but quickly dismissed that thought.  They know not to get into the closet.  The cupcake was also hidden from plain view (although it was within sight if you knew where to look).  It was a mini cupcake.  And it was pumpkin-flavored--certainly not as attractive to children as a brightly colored cupcake with a Frankenstein ring on top.  It was certainly one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of all time.  (Or at least that hour.)

A little while later, I happened to be walking down the hall to check on our classes, and I saw one of the other adults in Primary standing near the closet.  I figured it couldn't hurt to ask if she had seen it, perhaps thinking it had been there a long time and inadvertently thrown it away.  I asked her, "You didn't happen to see a little cupcake in here, did you?"  And I pointed out the hiding place.

She looked at me and said, "I ate it."

I tried to hide my shock and disappointment.  "Oh.  Okay."

She began to explain herself: "Well, it's just that I had left a cupcake in the closet last week, and forgot it was there.  So when I saw it, I thought it was the same one I had left.  As soon as I took a bite of it, I realized it wasn't my cupcake after all...did it belong to someone?"

"Yes, my friend had brought it for me." I said slowly.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine.  At least now I know what happened to it."

But honestly--WHO EATS SOMEONE ELSE'S CUPCAKE?!  I'm fairly sure this adult is older than I am.  Why the childish explanation?  I would rather she had said (sheepishly), "Yes, I ate it.  It looked SO delicious, and the temptation was more than I could bear."  I would have had a good laugh with her and asked, "Did it taste as wonderful as it looked?"  And in my mind, she would have replied, "It was BETTER."  And we would have laughed a little more and all would be right with the world.  Instead, by eating said cupcake and then making up an obviously fake explanation, she caused AWKWARDNESS.

So awkward, in fact, that I just can't seem to let it go.  I've been doing my thing the last few days, when all of a sudden, I will shake my head and say, "Who EATS someone else's cupcake?" and then launch into a monologue that includes such gems as:

"Didn't her parents teach her not to take other people's stuff?" and

"How could she possibly believe that my little mini pumpkin cupcake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting was the same one she supposedly left in the closet FOR A WEEK?" and

"This is what's wrong with our society!  People who think they're entitled to stuff that doesn't belong to them!"

And just for dramatic conclusion, I end with, "Things like this always happen to people like me.  Because I'm just too NICE."  And then I'm fine for another couple of hours until it happens again.

I've shared this story with my husband, my parents, my brother, Erik, and my sister.  Erik said, "What does that say about her, that she would willingly eat a cupcake that's a week old?  It could be literally covered with bacteria."

"Or rat poop!" Lexie chimed in.

At the very least, it would be so stale and rock hard it would be better used to plug a hole in a boat.

When I told my dad I thought she might be a kleptomaniac, he said, "No, because kleptomaniacs don't think they've taken something that doesn't belong to them.  She just wanted the cupcake."

I never told my friend who ate my cupcake.  I didn't want to cause more awkwardness.  But I actually asked my husband if I should tell my friend--what happens if she brings it up sometime?  His answer: "She probably won't."

But what if she DOES?  I really thought about this and figured out that the onus isn't on ME to tell my friend what happened to the cupcake.  Either the cupcake-eater has to fess up, or stay silent knowing that I know she's a dirty-rotten-baked-good-snarfing hooligan.

I actually had to call the Person Who Ate My Cupcake yesterday about something unrelated.  In our conversation, she mentioned she was feeling "well enough", which prompted me to ask if she had been sick.  (Why did I ask?  Because I'm nice.  See above.)  As soon as I hung up, my mom called from the other room, "Aw. Was she sick?  Did you ask her if she ended up with a stomach ache after eating your cupcake?"

Another Post on Homeschooling

A friend of mine sent this to me today:



Politically, I'm not a Ron Paul supporter--but then, I'm not a political supporter of anyone lately.  I watched the portion of the interview about education and homeschooling.  (The other portion is about the potential for a third political party in the US.)  Honestly, I have to agree with both Glenn Beck and Dr. Paul about homeschooling vs. our current education system.  I have been very careful not to criticize those who choose public education for their children.  Partly because I never in my life expected to be homeschooling my own daughters.  But also partly because I know that not everyone has the desire or option to teach their kids at home.

I will say this: we are closer as a family, the girls get along better together, and we have more time to spend doing the things we love now that we aren't burdened by having to make the mad dash to school every day.  I feel like I have more time to teach the gospel daily, rather than try to dish out some little gospel "nugget" that I hope they'll remember as they jump out of the car and run into the school building.

We begin every day with a prayer.  We say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning, and we've talked about what it means.  About what freedom means.  We're learning history that I KNOW kids in school aren't learning.  Today, while reading about the Pilgrims, Amy said, "God protected them, didn't He, Mom?"  (Sure can't say THAT in school.)  

Lucy is reading Swiss Family Robinson, Amy is working her way through 3rd grade math (she's a 2nd grader who chronologically should really be a 1st grader), and Sadie began learning to read about 6 weeks ago.  Give her the name of an animal, and ask her if it's a vertebrate or invertebrate.  She's right about 95% of the time.

Sorry for bragging.  I've seen so many positive changes in my girls since beginning to homeschool, and sometimes it just spills over.  :)

A Few Fall Photos

Autumn Serenity

Sadie's Fall Fashion Montage

Lucy: "Isn't there a painting that looks like this, Mom?"

The Accidental Homeschool Mom

I have fully begun my homeschooling journey this year with all three girls.  I can honestly say that I NEVER in my life expected to teach my children at home.  In fact, if someone had told me when my kids were littler that I would be doing this by my own choice, I would have laughed hysterically and wondered about the person's mental state.  I'm not laughing now, and I'm sure many people are wondering about MY mental state.  (I know my neighbor is!)

It's been more than a month since my daughters and I started our daily school routine, but the prayerful consideration and preparation for this endeavor began many months ago.  My reasons for homeschooling were (and still are) a bit fuzzy when I try to enumerate them, but because the Lord told me this was right for our family at this time, I trusted the answer and moved forward.

Last week, it was recommended to me that perhaps I should send Lucy to the 5-day-a-week self-contained classroom for "gifted" kids so she can spend more time with peers in her age and ability level.  The suggestion included the insight that because Lucy's brain is constantly working, her inability to focus on mundane tasks such as eating, sleeping, brushing her teeth, etc. was caused by a lack of mental stimulation.  The gifted program would most certainly offer her plenty of stimulation.

While I appreciate the advice, I fail to see how spending all day being "mentally stimulated" at school would help her focus on the mundane tasks of daily living.  I don't understand how being around kids who are "just like her" will help her with some of the issues she exhibits in social situations.  I also slightly resent the inference that I am unable to challenge her enough here at home. 

I had previously shared with this person my concerns about the Common Core State Standards as one of my reasons for homeschooling my children.  However, when I really stop to think about the reasons why I made this choice, Common Core rates pretty far down on the list.  There are other reasons why we are homeschooling.  And so, in an effort to clarify my reasons for myself, and to make it easier for me to respond when placed in a similar situation again, I'm making my list (and checking it twice).

Why I Chose Homeschooling For My Family

#1: More family time.  (This really is my #1 reason for choosing this path.)  With a spouse who works two jobs, I cherish the little bit of time we have when we're all together.

#2: More time for my kids to be kids--not "little adults".  The play more, and get along better now.  They also don't have to hear about stuff on the playground that I'd rather not have them knowing just yet.

#3: No homework (busywork).  When school is over for the day, it's over.  After dinner, we have time to read together, play a little longer, and spend some time with Daddy.

#4: More activities and opportunities now that we have extra time.  We just signed up at the YMCA, and each girl can do her own thing and it's all at one location.

#5: I am able to tailor my kids' lessons to their abilities and interests.  If they need extra support in reading, but excel in math, it's not difficult to provide that.  I don't have to do it for 25 kids.

#6: I can teach my kids things that they don't learn in traditional school--growing food, cooking, basic sewing, simple home repairs, and many, many more.

#7: The Lord told me this is right, and because it's right, I have His help.  It's not easy, and takes a lot of planning and preparation each week.  But I'm not second-guessing myself or my Heavenly Father.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  (Philippians 4:13.)